Pic of the Week (#124) - Bonne Année (France, 1915)

Every Friday The Psychogenealogist shares a "Pic of the Week." The intent is to encourage thought and imagination about the spaces where psychology, genealogy, and history converge.

Here is another colorized French postcard from the same lot as Pic of the Week (#123). This one is about 18 years older from 1915. I don’t know if the people mentioned in the postcards are related.

The front shows a boy carrying an umbrella and wrapped present in a light snow.

Written in French across the top it says “Bonne Année”, which my non existent French and Google Translate suggests is “Happy New Year”.

Next to it there appears to be a bit of a poem:

A mes bons amis, á mes chers Parents

Mes meilleurs souhaits, mes petits présents.

Google translates this as:

To my good friends, to my dear Parents

My best wishes, my little presents.

Here is the back of the postcard. Though it does not appear to have been mailed (there is no postmark or stamp) it is addressed to:

Mrs. Jule Thomas

Rue Cornes de Cerf N 9

Loui MM

Here is the professional translation:

The postcard is written from St. Nicolas on December 30th, 1915. I am not sure if St. Nicolas is a city or maybe a church or school?

I believe it is signed by a “Paul” but I can’t quite decipher his last name, but it might be “Hoyer”? Paul is writing to his grandmother and aunt, presumably mother and daughter. I am guessing that Mrs. Jules Thomas is the aunt as Paul refers to “Uncle Jules”.

Questions:

• Who is Paul and what is his story?

• Who is Mrs. Jules Thomas and what is her story?

• Paul says “we”. Who are the others he is referring to?

• Who is Simone and what is her story?

• Why was the postcard never mailed? Was it included in a package sent to the address?

• What was 1915 France like?

• What do you think, wonder about, and feel as you look at the image and read the words?

I would love to hear your thoughts about these questions or other ideas that occur to you about the postcard. Please feel to leave a comment below!

Featured Tag: Postcards